The Arlo Pro 5S 2K captures outdoor movement near-instantly, but brand-exclusive features make it harder to recommend to everyone. This $180 Memorial Day deal might make me change my mind.
The Arlo Pro 5S is easy to install, thanks to its built-in battery.
The Arlo Pro 5S 2K is a completely wireless security camera that can be placed to surveil indoors or outdoors. It’s sleek, compact, and reliable — all qualities you’d expect from a new Arlo camera. But some things left me wanting, though I can’t say for certain if it’s because of Arlo or me.
First, it’s worth discussing the elephant in the room: the monthly subscription.
I love a great security system; it’s one of the few things I don’t forget to switch on every night, and, as a diagnosed OCD sufferer, it helps me sleep at night. I have a Eufy Security system in my home because it doesn’t require any subscription or monthly fees, though the startup cost isn’t cheap.
Arlo cameras are more expensive than the Eufy Security ones throughout my home and still require a subscription after purchasing. I could go on an endless rant on why I dislike security camera subscriptions, but I’ll say this: if I buy the camera, I want to own the images. You don’t buy a photography camera to pay the manufacturer for each photo or video you take.
The Arlo Pro 5S 2K camera isn’t meant to be a standalone product.
